Arvind Kejriwal led Delhi govt to form its own education board, rewrite education Act

Promising a revamp of Delhi's education system, Arvind Kejriwal led government said it will form its own education board.

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal also threw an open challenge to the gathering of school principals and asked them to improve the education quality of their schools within a year and submit a blueprint to achieve it. (PTI)

Promising a revamp of Delhi’s education system, the state government today said it will form its own education board on the lines of CBSE and NCERT, come out with new syllabus and also amend existing education laws.

In a first-of-its kind interaction under one roof, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisosia today met principals of all the government schools at Tyagraj Stadium here.

The announcement came during the interactive session.

“Education system in Delhi is working on an Act made in 1973, which has become old. World has moved on but we are still following old law. We have to rewrite it according to modern vision and modern education system,” Sisodia said seeking suggestions from the principal to amend it.

“We don’t even have our own education board and we need it now along with our own new syllabus. I am not saying that CBSE or NCERT is wrong but we will make our own board as per the demand of Delhi,” he said without giving any timeline to the proposal.

While speaking at the interaction session, Kejriwal said that education is on the priority of his government. He claimed that the government’s seriousness can be gauged with the first-of-its kind interaction.

“If we can impart better education then within one generation we can eradicate poverty, unemployment and can develop this city. We need to bring two major changes in education system, which is improvement of infrastructure and quality of education,” Kejriwal said.

Highlighting the problems of government schools, he said we need better infrastructure. If there are 100 students in one class, then how will a teacher teach them.

In a move to improve infrastructure, government has done mapping of all the government schools and made a list of their infrastructural need.

“Education department has done mapping of all the schools about the requirement of schools and availability of land. We have sent this proposal to PWD department asking them to make enough classrooms so that there are not over 40 students in a class. They will have to deliver these classrooms in next one and half years,” Kejriwal said.

Asking to turn government schools into model school, Kejriwal said,”There is only one parameter of model school, a government school in which we can send our kids. Even 90 per cent of government schools principal send their children to private schools.”

Government has also made a list of things which will be there in each model schools. Department has also identified deficiency of benches, desk, laboratories, toilets, computer room and auditorium but implementation will take some time.

Kejriwal said that his target is to make Delhi government schools better than private schools in five years.

To fulfil their pre-poll promise, Kejriwal announced to open 45 new model schools in a year.

“We will open 45 new schools in a year and it will be at par with private schools and we will also ensure that existing schools will be updated according to the parameters of model school,” Kejriwal said.

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal also threw an open challenge to the gathering of school principals and asked them to improve the education quality of their schools within a year and submit a blueprint to achieve it.

“Improvement of education will be judged on two parameter– academic performance and parents’ satisfaction. Academic performance of each class will be checked on the basis of passing percentage and average marks. Parents feedback will be taken at the beginning and end of academic session,” Kejriwal said.

Government will support the infrastructural and monetary requirement of schools after the presentation of blueprint by the principal. “We will give every support, which schools need but will not be able to open classrooms within few months. But, in return we need performance,” Kejriwal said.

Pitching for encouraging principals and teachers Kejriwal said, after a year government will assess performance of schools. Top 10 performing principals and teachers will be sent to foreign countries for exchange programme and training.

“Those principals who can achieve the target will get a hefty amount of double increment as performance allowance each month for a year. Best performing teachers will also get state recognition,” Kejriwal announced.

Asking principals to come up with solution to improve the schools, Kejriwal quoted an idiom ‘Only the wearer knows where the shoe pinches’.

“You can write to director education for blueprint and for any suggestions can direly send email to me,” he said.